


It's Peanuts to Me

by melenafrey



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Allergic reaction, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-27
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-05-16 17:22:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5834116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melenafrey/pseuds/melenafrey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dorian just wanted their first real date to be perfect. So, of course, Bull nearly dies at his dining room table.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's Peanuts to Me

**Author's Note:**

> One of my New Year's Goals was to produce something every month this year (whether it be something short, a chapter of something longer, etc.) so here's something for January. Inspired by the "Date Gone Wrong" tumblr prompts by toxixpumpkin, the "you had an allergic reaction to your food" one. As always, thanks for reading :)

The curry he’d managed to make from scratch was ready and waiting in the oven to stay warm. The apartment was clean and tidy, and quiet tasteful  music was playing. Dorian had several different movies and sex toys picked out and waiting for later in the bedroom. Everything was set up just how he’d imagined.

Dorian had wanted everything to be perfect for their first _real_ date. And so naturally, Bull had almost died at Dorian’s dining room table.

A few minutes into their meal Bull has started sweating. He’d cleared his throat a few times, loosening his shirt collar uncomfortably before Dorian realized there was a problem.

“And then I said--Bull?”

Bull smiled at him in a way that was meant to be reassuring but looked more like a grimace. “It’s a little hot in here all of a sudden.” The grimace became more pronounced as he tried to swallow. He was having some difficulty, and his face was flushed and sweaty.

“Bull?” Dorian all but yelled, jumping out of his chair. “Are you choking?”

Bull shook his head. “Nothing’s stuck--but my throat, it’s--” he broke off, coughing. He kept coughing as Dorian stared, watching horror-struck as Bull struggled for breath.

Suddenly, as though he’d been struck by the thought, he remembered the anti-allergy medication he kept for his myriad of allergies, just in case, tucked in the kitchen drawer. He ran to the kitchen, yanking the drawer open and grabbing the medication.

He flew back to Bull’s side, showing him the vial quickly. “Bull, I’m going to use this, you must be allergic to something in the food.”

He didn’t wait for Bull to acknowledge him before ripping off the cap and stabbing the needle into Bull’s thigh. He left the needle in his thigh for ten seconds before removing it and setting it aside.

He was somewhat relieved by Bull’s deep breath but he couldn’t allow himself to relax yet. “Massage your thigh for a minute, I’m going to call an ambulance.”

Bull coughed. “Dorian, you don’t have to--”

“Shut up,” he snapped. “You’re going. Just rub your thigh, alright?”

Bull acquiesced quietly, likely realizing it was not a battle he’d win.

Dorian managed to sound brisk and confident on the phone, requesting an ambulance at his address for what he was certain was anaphylactic shock.

He sat, tapping his foot against the ground restlessly as Bull continued to gently rub at his thigh.

“They’ll be here any minute,” he said, ostensibly to make Bull feel better. Bull just nodded carefully.

“Okay.”

When the paramedics showed up, they frowned gently at Dorian when he tried to follow Bull into the vehicle.

“You family?” one of them asked.

Dorian hesitated just a bit too long--after all, would Bull even want him to ride with him after he’d nearly killed him on their first date?--and she shook her head. “Sorry, sir,” she said, sounding regretful. “You’ll have to follow us from behind in your car.

Dorian managed his thanks and watched, lump in his throat, as the ambulance pulled away from the curb. He jumped into his car and followed, moving much more slowly than it could with its flashing lights. When he arrived at the hospital he was told to wait, and so he sat in one of the hard plastic chairs, tapping his foot incessantly on the ground. He stopped when he noticed someone glaring at him, but with great difficulty. He settled for staring intently at the ground until someone addressed him.

“You try to poison him, Altus?” His head flew up at the sound of Krem’s voice. He was standing before him, arms crossed in a faux-intimidating pose. Dorian saw the teasing lilt of his smirk and opened his mouth to snap back that this was no time for jokes--and to his everlasting mortification--burst into tears.

Krem’s smirk slipped instantly. Dorian was horrified at his reaction but was powerless to stop the tears coursing down his cheeks. Krem winced and walked forward to awkwardly pat his shoulder.

“Aw, c’mon, Altus. He’s not dead.”

Dorian hiccuped, rather pitifully. Krem sighed.

 

Once Dorian had gotten himself under control, he followed Krem back into the patient area. “I’m his emergency contact,” Krem explained easily as he led him back. “They called me, said he was in for anaphylactic shock, that his boyfriend gave him an epipen, yadda yadda. The big lug’s fine. Said you could come see him.”

Dorian sniffed, nodding. “I wasn’t trying to--you don’t think he--?”

Krem sighed. “You’re smarter than that, Dorian. If there was ever a time when you would’ve tried to kill him with dinner it’s long past us. We all know how much you like him.”

Dorian chewed on his lip worriedly. He’d seen the panic on Bull’s face as his throat swelled shut. If this was how this _very first date_ went--well. He couldn’t blame him if he wanted to call it quits after this.

Krem stopped and brushed the curtain back on a bed towards the end of the room.

Bull’s tired expression lit up at the sight of Dorian and Krem. “Well, if it isn’t my two favorite Vints,” he grinned.

“We’re the _only_ two Vints you hang out with,” Krem said wryly. “And probably the only two you haven’t tried to kill.”

“Yeah? That makes you guys my favorites.” Bull shrugged.

Krem snorted. After the three of them were quiet for a minute Krem smirked. “I’m going to grab some coffee. Let you two talk.” He was gone before Dorian could protest.

“Hey,” Bull said softly. Dorian winced at how scratchy his voice was. “I know I take up a lot of space but I’ll make room for ya.” He tilted his head and shut his eye, grinning as he tried his one-eyed wink. Dorian snorted, uncomfortably aware of his still-watering eyes. He walked close enough to touch Bull but didn’t sit down.

“She said it was probably the peanuts,” he offered after Dorian didn’t say anything. “I didn’t know I was allergic to ‘em--now I think about it, my throat was a little itchy after the last time I ate them but nothing like this happened. I guess sometimes allergies can get worse over time.” He chuckled.

Dorian gave him a watery smile. Bull sighed. “I’m okay, you know. I can even get out of here soon and we can continue with our evening.”

“What?” Dorian sputtered. “Why would you want to?”

Bull smiled, reaching up to take his hand. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“I--I almost _killed_ you with my dinner! On our first real date! If that isn’t a bad omen I don’t know _what_ is--”

“Dorian--”

“I mean, how could I have cooked something with peanuts, when I didn’t know what you were allergic to, how _stupid_ \--”

“Dorian, _I_ didn’t even know I was allergic to peanuts, I don’t eat them that often,” he interrupted seriously. Dorian stopped trying to argue, shoulders sagging forward in defeat. Bull rubbed at the back of his hand with his big thumb. Dorian tried not to focus on how comforting it was.

“Dorian,” he whispered. Dorian looked him in the eye reluctantly. “You were pretty fast with that epipen, huh? Don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t been, big guy.”

“It doesn’t count since I fed you the thing you had a reaction to,” Dorian groused. Bull brought Dorian’s hand to his lips so he could kiss the knuckles. “You were quick, though. My nurse said that made all the difference.”

Dorian sniffed loudly, bringing his sleeve to dab discretely at his eyes.

Bull yawned. “Listen, I’m kinda tired but why don’t we pick up some takeout and go back to my place after this? I think we could both use some cuddling, huh?”

Dorian nodded. “Al--alright.” He sniffed again when Bull kissed his hand again. “I’m so, so sorry, Bull.”

“Shh,” Bull said gently. “It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean to. And I’m sure someday we’ll be able to laugh about it.”

“Maybe you will,” Dorian sighed.

Bull smiled. “C’mon, think about it. It’s kinda funny. Krem thought it was, anyway. If we don’t tell our grandchildren this story someday you can bet he will.”

That finally got a real smile out of Dorian and Bull grinned. “There you are, sweetheart.”

Dorian turned his head away from him as he felt his cheeks flush. “You’re embarrassing.”

“Aw, don’t be like that, baby. Aren’t you gonna kiss me better?”

Dorian hesitated briefly, before leaning over Bull slowly. He bypassed Bull’s comically pursed lips and planted a soft kiss on his brow before standing back up. “There,” he whispered, bringing a hand to caress Bull’s stubbly cheek. “All better.”

Bull smiled at him, eye shining with emotion.

“Clearly I came back at the wrong time.” Dorian and Bull both turned to see Krem making a face at the two of them into his coffee. “Now, chief, you gonna be alright with him or what? Because I actually had plans too--”

Bull laughed. “Yeah, yeah, get to your date Krem de la Creme. Tell Maryden I said hi.”

“Thanks,” he said dryly. “Don’t feed him any more peanuts, alright, Dorian?”

“I won’t,” Dorian sniffed, relieved he no longer sounded so shaken.

Krem left and Dorian continued to absently stroke Bull’s cheek. “I’ll make it up to you,” he said fervently.

Bull nodded, eye heavy with exhaustion. “I know you will.”

“Is there anything else you’re allergic to that I should know about?” Dorian asked weakly.

Bull snorted. “Not that I know of, but hey. You handled it like a champ this time. If you do feed me something else I have a reaction to, I trust you to take care of me.”

Dorian sighed. “Just because I can doesn’t mean I’m in any hurry to, dear.”

Bull grunted. “Yeah, that’s true.”

They waited in comfortable quiet for the nurse to return. Bull insisted he needed another kiss to make things better, and who was Dorian to refuse? Even if he was a little embarrassed at being caught giving Bull sappy looks and loving, rather than strictly passionate, kisses. There were worse things.

 


End file.
